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Public participation guidance

Last updated on September 17, 2024

Below are a collection of resources specifically tailored to assist the public and public groups participate in the environmental assessment process. These materials are relevant to projects undergoing environmental assessments.

An overview of the environmental assessment process is available here

On this page, you'll find:

Public participation in the new environmental assessment process

The Environmental Assessment Office holds four public engagement periods during an environmental assessment, including in the early engagement phase, which provides an opportunity for all environmental assessment participants to better understand the project and establish a foundation for the rest of the environmental assessment. Early engagement is an important preparatory phase where meaningful conversations among participants begin about the proposed project to identify engagement approaches, potential interests, issues, and concerns early in the environmental assessment process and chart a path for resolution.

The Environmental Assessment process timeline image

Resources to support public participation

The following guidance documents have been collected to highlight areas of the environmental assessment process involving public participation. They are highly detailed and are intended for those who wish to dive deeper into the environmental assessment process and procedures.

The full collection of guidance materials is available on the regulations and agreements section of the site. 

General information

Guidance by process phase

Early engagement

The early engagement phase is the start of the regulatory process with the Environmental Assessment Office and provides an opportunity for all participants to better understand the project and establish a foundation for the rest of the environmental assessment. Early engagement is an important preparatory phase where meaningful conversations among participants begin about the proposed project to identify engagement approaches, potential interests, issues, and concerns early in the process and chart a path for resolution. During the public engagement period, the public have the opportunity to review the initial project description and provide feedback on key areas of concern, before the project design is finalized. The public also have the opportunity of providing feedback on how they would like to be engaged in future public engagement periods.

Guidance 

Process planning 

Process planning formalizes how the environmental assessment must be carried out, including: identifying the required information; defining who does what, when, and how; and determining how participants work together for the rest of the environmental assessment and future engagement approaches (including refinement of the approach to public engagement). Each process order is customized to reflect the project and uses the foundation built in the early engagement and the readiness decision phases to set the scope, procedures, and methods of the environmental assessment. During this phase, a Community Advisory Committee is formed to advise the Environmental Assessment Office on the potential effects of the proposed project on the community. The committee is a group of community representatives, that identifies potential issues and provides input related to effects on the community during an environmental assessment of a proposed project.

Guidance

Application development and review

During application development, the proponent works with participating Indigenous nations and environmental assessment participants to develop their application for an environmental assessment certificate. Early feedback on data collection or analysis can help to identify and resolve key issues, reducing the potential for delays later in the process. 

During application review, the EAO, participating Indigenous nations, Technical Advisory Committee, and Community Advisory Committee review the application, and direction is provided to the proponent on revisions that should be reflected in the revised application. The direction includes the results from public engagement on the application and any matters regarding advice provided by the Technical Advisory Committee or Community Advisory Committee.

Guidance 

Effects assessment and recommendation

An effects assessment of the project is conducted, resulting in the development of a draft assessment report and draft environmental assessment certificate with conditions. These drafts reflect engagement with participating Indigenous nations, the Technical Advisory Committee, the Community Advisory Committee, and the public. Before referral to Provincial decision-makers, the public will have an opportunity to comment on draft assessment report that describes the potential effects of the project, and the draft environmental assessment certificate and associated legally binding conditions the proponent must follow for the life of the project, should a certificate be issued.

Once the referral package is submitted to Provincial decision-makers, the Ministers must consider the assessment report, the chief executive assessment officer’s recommendations, the sustainability and reconciliation purposes of the EAO and any other matters they consider relevant to the public interest. If the recommendation does not align with a notice of consent or lack of consent, Ministers must offer a meeting to that participating Indigenous nation.

Ministers can decide to issue a certificate, or refuse to issue a certificate, and are required to publish reasons for their decision. If the Ministers’ decision does not align with the notice of consent or lack of consent, reasons must be provided.

Guidance 

We want to hear from you

Many of the documents below are presented as a draft, and will be updated as we receive feedback from users of this documentation. If you have any comments or feedback about the guidance materials, please email EAOinfo@gov.bc.ca.